first vintage pen

[newrisingsun64]

So i think ive found my first vintage pen,1944 Cordovan Brown “51” with a feather or chevron 16k gold cap, does anyone know where i would be able to find one of these? I really digvthe way the pen looks but i have no idea where 2 find one. Any thoughts or info would be greatly appreciatef thx!!

[Hawk]

This is a good place to start. You might want to start a thread in the want to buy or trade section also. Within this group you can be fairly confident that the available pen would be fairly represented. Pentrace Market Place is anouther source. Of course pen shows and pen clubs would be good also. Ebay has good deals as well as some bummers. I have bought from Michael McNeil, Rick Krantz and Speerbob (ebay) and have had great results. There are others out there that will sell you a good pen. You mighet want to consider loosening up your criteria in order to get a pen sooner, enjoy it while you are looking for your specific pen. After all, I doubt you will only own one pen or only one 51. Good luck on your hunt.

[newrisingsun64]

This is a good place to start. You might want to start a thread in the want to buy or trade section also. Within this group you can be fairly confident that the available pen would be fairly represented. Pentrace Market Place is anouther source. Of course pen shows and pen clubs would be good also. Ebay has good deals as well as some bummers. I have bought from Michael McNeil, Rick Krantz and Speerbob (ebay) and have had great results. There are others out there that will sell you a good pen. You mighet want to consider loosening up your criteria in order to get a pen sooner, enjoy it while you are looking for your specific pen. After all, I doubt you will only own one pen or only one 51. Good luck on your hunt.

Well this is the first vintage that has caught my eye, im fairly new/ a novice at fountain pen collecting and have a small collection of newer pens. This is the first vintage pen ive came across where i was like wow i gotta nab that one up. Do the 51's come with different nib variations, ie italic, stub or cursive italic or is there just a standwrd nib size for them? Thx again!!

[Hawk]

First of all, I have not seen nibs other than the ordinary fine, extra fine. According to the Parker "51"book by David and Mark Shepherd (an excellent book) a whole gamut of nibs were offered. The pens write nice and are reliable. Through the years, Parker Started with the vacuumatic filling system snd later on the aerometric filling system. I prefer (even though I have both) the aerometric because it is virtually 'bullet-proof'. There are a variety of barrel colors and a variety of cap material and designs. I have become addicted to them, watch out. With all of the variations/colors, I recommended to look around first. There are even custom variations out there. Confusing, you betcha. Will you be disappointed with a good pen, I doubt it.
Good luck on your lourney....

[newrisingsun64]

When you say bullet proof what do you mean by that?

[Laura N]

He means it is sturdy, reliable and doesn't break.

You know what. You really should follow this link and go to Parker51.com (http://parker51.com/) before you buy a 51. Read up on it. Read about the versions, the colors, the caps if you like. Ernesto who runs that site is a very good dealer, as well, and if you want a special nib or a special cap he's a good source. You can email him if you don't see what you like on his listings. There are other good dealers, too. I have no affiliation other than being a satisfied customer.

As you know, the 51 was made for a number of years. There were two versions, first vacumatic and then aerometric, which refers to the filling systems. New people who are looking to buy their first 51 usually would be well-advised to make of list of what they want in this order: first, filling system; if the filling system is vac, then double or single jewel; color or colors that would be acceptable; nib size; and cap version, if that matters.

The year is usually not the first thing someone specifies, so that's a little unusual of a request. The cap you've selected is a 16k, which is also more unusual and will be more expensive. To get all those things you have specified is not going to be easy, necessarily. If there's a specific pen with those specs that you love, the easiest way to get that exact pen is just to buy it from that guy. Otherwise, there are millions of 51s and a dealer can mix and match up to a point. A legitimate dealer won't usually put a vac cap on an aero, because an educated buyer wouldn't want that. Be careful, though, not to get someone who tries to take advantage of your very specific requirements. If you broaden your search, to, say, any double jewel vac 51 in colors X,Y or Z with any gold cap, you will find it easier and cheaper. Or, any single jewel Cordovan with X nib. And so on. But if you really want that specific pen, then go for it.

[newrisingsun64]

He means it is sturdy, reliable and doesn't break.

You know what. You really should follow this link and go to Parker51.com (http://parker51.com/) before you buy a 51. Read up on it. Read about the versions, the colors, the caps if you like. Ernesto who runs that site is a very good dealer, as well, and if you want a special nib or a special cap he's a good source. You can email him if you don't see what you like on his listings. There are other good dealers, too. I have no affiliation other than being a satisfied customer.

As you know, the 51 was made for a number of years. There were two versions, first vacumatic and then aerometric, which refers to the filling systems. New people who are looking to buy their first 51 usually would be well-advised to make of list of what they want in this order: first, filling system; if the filling system is vac, then double or single jewel; color or colors that would be acceptable; nib size; and cap version, if that matters.

The year is usually not the first thing someone specifies, so that's a little unusual of a request. The cap you've selected is a 16k, which is also more unusual and will be more expensive. To get all those things you have specified is not going to be easy, necessarily. If there's a specific pen with those specs that you love, the easiest way to get that exact pen is just to buy it from that guy. Otherwise, there are millions of 51s and a dealer can mix and match up to a point. A legitimate dealer won't usually put a vac cap on an aero, because an educated buyer wouldn't want that. Be careful, though, not to get someone who tries to take advantage of your very specific requirements. If you broaden your search, to, say, any double jewel vac 51 in colors X,Y or Z with any gold cap, you will find it easier and cheaper. Or, any single jewel Cordovan with X nib. And so on. But if you really want that specific pen, then go for it.

Yah i really want that specific pen, price isnt really my main concern right know its more of getting that particular pen. You do make a good point with the filling system tho. Will try to find one with an aerometric filling system. If seen the single/double jewel on a few pen listings, what does that refer too?

[Laura N]

Yah i really want that specific pen, price isnt really my main concern right know its more of getting that particular pen. You do make a good point with the filling system tho. Will try to find one with an aerometric filling system. If seen the single/double jewel on a few pen listings, what does that refer too?

Go to the website and read up, but briefly every Parker 51 has a "jewel" on the top of the cap. Some early vac 51s are called double jewels because there is a second jewel on the other end, the blind cap that covers the plunger filler. The production aeros are all single jewels pens, because of course there is no plunger filler.

You cannot get an aerometric filler in either the color you want or the year you want. Cordovan Brown is only on the vac fillers. And the aerometrics were later pens, so they were produced from 1948 on.

Are you totally set on the year 1944? Because the Cordovan was made for at least five years, probably more actually, probably until the aeros came in, but I don't remember offhand. Anyway, the point is, you can get a Cordovan Brown vac filling 51 that was manufactured in a year other than 1944, and that will broaden your options.

[newrisingsun64]

It doesnt have 2 be a 44, but i do want one witha 16kgold cap. It would prbly be better to get one with an aerometric fill system.

[newrisingsun64]

Is there different colored jewels or are they all the same color?

[newrisingsun64]

No it doesnt have to be a 44, i'd like the cap to be th 16k one, i saw one online but it had 14k cap. Are their different colored jewels you can choose from or are they all the same? It would probly be better to get one with an aero filler system

[Laura N]

No it doesnt have to be a 44, i'd like the cap to be th 16k one, i saw one online but it had 14k cap. Are their different colored jewels you can choose from or are they all the same? It would probly be better to get one with an aero filler system

I sound like a broken record, but you need to read up on the 51, and all these excellent questions will be answered. Briefly: the aerometric is a great pen, and as Hawk says, bulletproof. It came out starting in 1948, I believe. Cordovan Brown was a vac color. The caps are different between the vacs and aeros. I don't know your cap offhand -- though you can find it I'm sure in the caps section of that website. Just be advised that the cap you like may only be a vac cap.

At this point the best thing to do is read up on the 51, starting at Ernesto's site. Parker Pens Penography is another good site after Ernesto's.

[newrisingsun64]

No it doesnt have to be a 44, i'd like the cap to be th 16k one, i saw one online but it had 14k cap. Are their different colored jewels you can choose from or are they all the same? It would probly be better to get one with an aero filler system

I sound like a broken record, but you need to read up on the 51, and all these excellent questions will be answered. Briefly: the aerometric is a great pen, and as Hawk says, bulletproof. It came out starting in 1948, I believe. Cordovan Brown was a vac color. The caps are different between the vacs and aeros. I don't know your cap offhand -- though you can find it I'm sure in the caps section of that website. Just be advised that the cap you like may only be a vac cap.

At this point the best thing to do is read up on the 51, starting at Ernesto's site. Parker Pens Penography is another good site after Ernesto's.

As soon as i get home 2morrow ill check that website out, at work and have limited internet connectivity. Stuck using my phone and reception is bad out here. I hear yah though.

[FredRydr]

So what did you buy in the end?

Fred